Ball-throwing appabatus



J. L. REYNOLDS. BALL THROWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. 1915. 1 196 1511 Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

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J. L. REYNOLDS. BALL THROWING APPARATUS.

FILED 0C m5. Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

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WW WWW BALL-T11R0 ING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

Application filed October 12, 1915. Serial No. 55,414.

such casing provided for the same.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an improved casing and general construction as well as to provide an improved means for returning the balls and releasing the same from the retaining means.

Other objects and purposes will be hereinafter disclosed and illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a combined broken-away side elevation of the casing and a tripping device and sectional view, the part in section being taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2, Fig.

2, is a. front elevation of the casing as mounted on a pedestal, Fig. 3, is an enlarged side elevation of the hub of the easing together with a broken-away view of the arms attached thereto, Fig 4, is an end view of the same, Fig. 5, is 'an end view of the barrel of the casing, Fig. 6, is a sectional view of the same taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, Fig. 7, is a broken-away side view of the wall of the casing on which is mounted an electrically operated trip construction. and Fig. 8, is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on the line 8-8 of Fig.7.

In a detail description a casing 10 is mounted upon a pedestal 11 by-means of a bracket 12 supported between plates 13 and 14, the plate 18 being secured to a portion 15 attached to the pedestal 11 as at 16. Centrally disposed Within the casing 10 is rotatably mounted a hub 17. Radiating from the hub 17 is a. broad annular passageway 18 cut outof the inner walls of the casing 10 which narrows down as it reaches the periphery of the casing 10 forming a tangentially extending barrel 19 reaching to the open. Attached to the hub 17, as by rivets 20, are outwardly extending arms 21' reaching across the passageway 18. The arms 21 are so attached to the hub 17 as shown as to leave room for a ball 22 between them. Pivoted to the inner ends 21 of the arms 21, as at 23-,ar'e pawls 24 adapted for normally holding the balls within the hub 17 as shown in Fig. 1. In one side of the hub 17 is an opening 25 sufiicient 1n size to permit of the passage therethrough of the balls 22 which opening connects with a ball magazine 26. The opposite side of the hub 17 is joined to a shaft 27 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 28in the portions 16 and 29 extending up wardly from the pedestal. A band wheel 30 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 27 and is connected by a band 31 to a band wheel 32 rigidly secured to av shaft 33 connected with an electric motor 34. Pivoted to the pawls 24, as by pins 24?, are arms 35'which in turn are pivoted to arms 36 by pins 36. Rigidly secured to the arms 36 are levers 37 both being rotatably pivoted to the hub 17 as by pins 38'.

Riveted to the side of the casing 10 is a solenoid 39. 'tVires 4:0 and 41 lead to a source of electric supply and are connected to the solenoid 39 through the parts 412 and 43 and the wires 14 and 45 respectively. A lever 46 is pivoted to the casing 10 as at 417, oneend of. the lever 46 is pivoted to the plug +18 as at 19. The wire 41 is separated at the block 50. n

Longitudinally arranged within the barrel 1,9 are parallel spring bars-5S permanently supported in the wall 61 at 59 and having portions 60 extending loosely through the wall 61 with nuts 62 at their threaded ends. These bars 61 serve as a guide to the balls 22 while passing through the barrel 19. By the adjustment of the nuts 62 the loosely adjusted portions 60 may be regulated to adjust the bars 58 to aposition to properly engage the balls.

In the operation of the device the hub 17 and the arms 21 are rotated by means of the motor 84. Balls 22 are fed from the'magzn zine 26 through the opening 25 into the hub 1.7 and by the rotation of the hub 17 are thrown by centrifugal force to the positions shown in Fig. 1. hen it is desired to throw a "ball from the hub 17 a lever 51 is manually drawn from the dotted normal position 51 in the direction shown, which operates on a bell-crank 52' carrying it from its normal position shown by dotted lines 52 in the direction shown, the projection i'orcing a spring 5% against a portion 55 completing an electric circuit through the solenoid 39 which draws the plug 48 upwardly against the plug 56 thereby rocking the le- "er 46 on the pivot 47 and changing the position thereof to the position of the dotted levers 46 throwing the same in the path of the lever 37, thereby tripping the lever 37 to the position 37" which through the connections 35 and 36 being changed to positions 35 and 36 respectively elevates the pawl 24, thereby releasing one of the balls 22 into the passageway 18 from whence it is picked up and forced along said passageway by one of the arms 21 and thrown through the barrel 19. The lever 37, parts 35 and 36 and the pawl 24 are returned to normal position by centrifugal force bythe rotation of the hub 17.

lVhat is claimed is,

l; A ball throwing apparatus comprising a casing having a passageway radiating from a central position therein outwardly and connecting with a tangentially extending barrel, parallel spring rods in said barrel to guide balls in their passage therethrough, a hub centrally and rotatably mounted in said casing, arms secured to said hub and extending outwardly across said passageway, a ball receptacle in said hub between said arms, an opening into said hub for the passage of balls therein, means for retaining balls within said. hub and means for releasing balls therefrom to said passageway.

A ball throwing apparatus comprising a casing having a passageway radiating from a central position therein outwardly;

and connecting with a tangentially extending barrel, parallel spring rodsin said barrel to guide balls in their passage therethrough, a hub centrally and rotatably mounted in said casing, arms secured to said hub and extending outwardly across said passageway, a ball receptacle in said hub between said arms, an opening into said hub for the passage of balls therein, pawls for normally retaining the balls within the ball receptacle in the hub and tripping means for elevating said pawls to release the balls therefrom.

3. A ball throwing a casing having a apparatus comprising passageway radiating Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the from a central position therein outwardly and connecting with a tangentially extending barrel, a hub centrally and rotatably mounted in said casing, arms secured to said hub and extending outwardly across said passageway, a ball receptacle in said hub between said arms, an opening into said hub for the passage of balls therein, pawls for normally retaining the balls within the ball receptacle in the hub, lever connections with said pawls extending outwardly and a lever attached to the casing and electrically operated to throw the same in the path of said first named lever 'to trip the same and elevate the pawls to release the balls from the ball receptacle in the hub.

4. A ball throwing apparatus comprising a casing having a passageway radiating from a central position therein outwardly and connecting with a tangentially extending barrel, means for forcing a ball throu h said passageway into and through said barrel and parallel spring rods in said barrel adjustable to guide halls in their passage therethrough.

A ball throwing apparatus comprising a casing having a. passageway radiating from a central position therein outwardly and connecting with a tangentially extending barrel, a hub centrally and rotatably mounted in said casing, arms secured to said hub and extending outwardly across said passageway, a ball receptacle in said hub between said arms, an opening into said hub for the passage of balls therein, pawls for normally retaining the balls within the ball receptacle in the hub, lever connections with said pawls extending outwardly and a lever attached to the casing and means for operating the same to throw the same in the path of said first named lever to trip the same and elevate the pawls to release the balls from the ball receptacle in the hub.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. V

JAY L. REYNOLDS. Witnesses JOHN L. \VILEY, L. L. WEs'rrALL.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

